Aug-28-2021: Assault on Flat Rock, mis-routed

The intent was to ride the "Assault on Flat Rock." 

But when I got to Grissom, I apparently was lost in thought, and 

Went the wrong way. 😮 

 

Here's a link of the route I actually rode, 

"Complete" with color-coded information regarding 

Where / how I went off course, and 

Where / how I got back on course. 

[I recall realizing I wasn't riding what I intended, and 

Considering what I should do / needed to do, 

To get back on course as 

I definitely wanted to ride the core of the "Assault on Flat Rock" course.] 

 

Going to "tell the story" mostly via the photos I took that day. 

Corner of Suitt and Gordon Moore roads, approx 26.5-miles into the "mis-routed" ride.  Timestamp 0905. 

Looking back at "from whence I came."  Timestamp 0905. 

A look at where I'm about to go.  Timestamp 0906. 

A second look at where I'm about to ride, but including some of the intersection.  Timestamp 0906. 

The "horse farm" just after turning off NC-56 onto Wes Sandling Rd.  Btw, Wes Sandling Rd starts the fun section of the "Assault on Flat Rock" route.  Timestamp 0919. 

NCDOT number signage on the stop sign at the corner of Wes Sandling and Grove Hill / John Sandling roads.  Timestamp 0930. 

The stop sign below with road name signage atop.  Wes and John Sandling roads.  Timestamp 0931.  Continuing north on Grove Hill, the road dives down again to a creek that feeds the Tar River and then climbs back up to Preddy Rd, where the route makes a definite left turn that was NOT captured in the RWGPS auto-generated cue sheet. 

Having essentially completed the climb up to the level of Preddy Rd, the whipping flag at half-staff caught my eye: I took a photo.  Timestamp 0943.  [I don't recall WHY the flag was at half-staff.] 

This appears more interesting in person than it does in this photo taken from Grove Hill Rd "half-way" between Preddy and Flat Rock roads.  Timestamp 0946. 

There a strange-looking creature in the above two photos.  Caught my eye at the time, but I couldn't tell you at the end of the ride, and I certainly can't tell you as I type this, what that creature was.  Timestamp for both photos 0953. 

Luckily this photo, also timestamped 0953, informs us of where the above "creature photos" were taken, and why I had even bothered to stop there.  I am about to turn off Grove Hill Rd onto Flat Rock Rd -- the road for which the route is named.  Flat Rock Rd is only 2.8-miles long -- on the ride, that was from mile mark 35.0 to 37.8.  Flat Rock drops 147-ft and then climbs 211-ft in that 2.8-miles.  The steepest incline is at least 7.0% (according to RWGPS) just after crossing the creek at the bottom.  A seven percent incline is not much for many places around the country, or even in some places within a 2-plus hour drive from Raleigh, but locally, that incline just after crossing the creek is "nothing to sneeze at." 

The southern end of Flat Rock Rd.  For the unintiated or curious:  yep, Flat Rock Rd appears to go from Grove Hill Rd on the north end to the same Grove Hill Rd on the south end -- Grove Hill is a big U-shaped road -- and, in full disclosure, northern end of Flat Rock is a half-mile or so farther north than where this route turned onto Flat Rock Rd.  Timestamp 1011. 

Same location, from whence I just came; but the reader must understand that by the time one approaches the south end of Flat Rock Rd, the road has become mostly flat.  Timestamp 1011. 

Same location.  Is this where I'm about to ride?  Timestamp 1011. 

Another view of where I'm about to ride.  Timestamp 1011. 

"Western Wear" store at corner of Suitts Store Rd and NC-96.  Timestamp 1026.  [Hmmn, cutting through the gas station / c-store parking lot, RWGPS failed to put anything regarding NC-96 in the auto-generated cue sheet.] 

EMS and fire truck vehicles in the CVS parking lot where most of "my" Permanent routes start and finish.  Mile 57.0 of the route ridden this day (see the RWGPS link near the beginning of the post).  Timestamp 1152. 

Front door area of the Bay Leaf CVS.  Timestamp 1152. 

Formerly Bay Leaf fire station #2, taken from the CVS parking lot.  Timestamp 1153. 

 
 Information taken from my Excel ride log: 

• -> mis-routed Assault on Flat Rock -> 
• 0700 start  --  ~ 1300 finish  --  heat got to me! 
• 65.4-miles, 4:40 in-motion, avg 14.0-mph in-motion 

 

That's the "story" for this ride, and I'll be sticking to it. 

 

Aug-22-2021: Mayo Lake Exploring

I decided to check out a prospective 150+ km route for a possible RUSA Populaire. 

Years ago, Apr-17-2010, to be exact, a group of Irregulars had ridden a Mayo Lake 100-miler. 

Occasionally when doing the "Denny's Store Sortie" 138-km Perm-Pop 

I've thought about making the 20-mile detour to ride up to and across Mayo Lake. 

But I never did. 

 

However, with me putting on RUSA Brevet-Populaires under Alan's auspices, and 

A change in RBA for Raleigh likely to occur in the near future, and 

Me still looking for post-COVID lockdown rides (other than RUSA Brevets or Perms), 

I figured that Aug-22nd would be a good day to check out a prospective Mayo Lake route. 

 

I thought I understood what would be the shortest route. 

As I type this, I thought I had a RWGPS of the original Irregulars Mayo Lake 100-miler, 

But research reveals that the original online route was done via "TrimbleOutdoors," 

And that no longer exists. 

 

Or, the original online route might have been done via "Veloroutes," 

But that was only ever someone's hobby and that stuff essentially no long exists. 

 

I could re-create the route I rode on Aug-22-2021, but that would be mostly a waste of time. 

I choose to embed the final RUSA Mayo Lake 153k Populaire RWGPS at/near the bottom of this. 

 

I'll relay the story primarily via the photos I took that day. 

Most of the photos were taken at prospective controls. 

 

But first, the extract from my Excel log: 

• -> "Mayo Lake 100" - NewLight-SixForks "finish" -> 
• 0645 - 1615  ->   9h30 elapsed    --    4648 ft climbing 
• 109.1-miles, 7:51 in-motion and that includes some walking, 13.9-mph avg in-motion. 

 

Riding thru Butner, the interplay of the sunshine and shadow attracted my attention, so I stopped to take a photo of the Gazebo.  Timestamp 0807. 

 

At the gas station / c-store at / in Surl, Dave was grilling up some tasty ribs.  This was the first time, and the last, that I ever saw the gentleman.  Timestamp 0930. 

Mill Creek gas station / c-store alongside US-501.  This location would become a control on the Mayo Lake Populaire.  There is a grill with some tables and food resembling "real food."  Timestamp 1028. 

Picnic tables in the shade at the Mill Creek store.  Timestamp 1028. 

Family Dollar store across the road from the Mill Creek gas station / c-store.  Timestamp 1029. 

After riding a couple miles north on US-501 (not much traffic) and turning on the first road to the right:  From the middle of the bridge crossing Mayo Lake -- looking north.  Timestamp 1058. 

Mayo Lake bridge, looking south.  Timestamp 1059. 

An hour later, I turned south on J.D. Denny Rd.  I was completely unfamiliar with the road.  Half-way along J.D, Denny Rd., I came upon a surprise:  the road surface changed from asphalt to gravel.  Some of the gravel was initially "okay," but then there was very fresh gravel that looked more like flints ready to become arrowheads.  The entire roadway from edge to edge was covered.  The white flints were also deep.  I got off the bike and walked the wheels in the grass alongside the road's edge.  I should have taken a photo of the "flint section," but it appears I waited until I was clear of the flints. 

Yep, this is definitely NOT the "flint section."  This was after the flints.  Of note after this was the steep downhill with gravel pebbles scattered about, so the surface was mostly hard-packed dirt, but there was no way to avoid the pebbles.  Downhill, coasting at 21, 23, even 25 miles-per-hour, the bike bouncing around because of the scattered pebbles, me repeating the mantra "hold onto the bike, hold onto the bike, don't fall."  I was glad when the downslope ended.  When I reached the end of the road, I realized where I was -- I had ridden past the south end of J.D. Denny Rd many times, but had never paid attention and had not remembered that the south end was gravel.  Timestamp 1207.  

I finished the ride on roads well-known to me (the "Denny's Store Sortie" and "R-B-R" routes). 

 

When I got back to my place, I created the RWGPS routing for what would become the Mayo Lake 153k RUSA Brevet-Populaire.  [As I type this, I want to express the following:  the Populaire is a very good route; I wish I could get more people to ride it.]  

 

 

 

 

Aug-13-2021: non-rando R-B-R, with extras

According to my Excel log, I stayed the night before at double-L's, dog-sitting. 

Rode from her place in Raleigh out to Berea and back; i.e., typical "R-B-R". 

 

I only took one photo on the day:  

The pond and house set well back from the SW corner at Culbreth. 

"Severely" cropped photo from an inadequate camera.  But at least it is NOT one of the usual photos taken at the Culbreth crossroads. 

Excel log indicates: 

• -> "RBR" but to BayLeafCVS, then to my sleep quarters 
• ~ 0615 start, ~ 1155 finish, i.e., 5h40 elapsed 
• 72.4-miles, 5:00 in-motion, avg 14.5-mph in motion 

 

The only reason I post this, nearly three years after the ride of which I recall nothing, 

Is to post that photo (and subsequently delete it from my hard-drive). 

 

On the other hand, I've been thinking that I ought to type blog posts for 2021, 2022, 2023, 

Titled "All Roads Lead to Culbreth" 

Because it seemed that most every ride in those years included the Culbreth crossroad. 

 

 

Jul-18-2021: non-rando "Denny's Store Sortie"

Cuz I always said / wrote / typed that the Denny's Store route was my favorite perm-pop. 

And to at least pretend that I was checking out the route for possible re-activation. 

And also, I knew that I would soon want to check out possible Mayo Lake routes, 

And that makes sense since 

The Mayo Lake route is simply the Denny's Store routes with a loop up to Mayo Lake. 

 

Following a pattern of reporting what is in my Excel ride log: 

• essentially "Denny's Store Sortie" (but starting / finishing at my sleep quarters), 
• 0504 start    --    overcast, some sprinkles, 
• 93.4-miles in 6:24 in-motion meaning 14.6-mph avg in-motion (elapsed time unknown). 

 

Photos on the day: 

Statue of Vietnam era soldier at Butner Gazebo Park.  Timestamp 0636 -- so an hour-and-a-half after starting.  

 

Banner advertising the Granville County 275th Anniversary celebration.  The aforementioned statue in the background.  Timestamp also 0636. 

  

Turtle before "rescue" timestamped 0812.  Given the timestamp on the next photo, taken at the Allensville Store, I have to think that this turtle was warming itself on Old Allensville Rd approx one mile south of the Allensville corner.  [I "have" to rescue the turtles encountered, else my friend LML might skutch me out.] 

 

Timestamp 0824.  Allensville Store.  More of Lynn's "peeps" than ever seen before or since.  The 2nd or 3rd "peep" from the left edge did actually ask me about "that woman that used to ride up here with you."  If one were look through all the "Denny's Store" posts, I'm confident that other photos taken of men sitting on those benches would reveal which of the two it was that inquired.  In response to the inquiry, I gave a pretty good descriptive answer regarding Lynn.  Proof that if a cyclist will take the time to chat with locals, even locals that are quite over-sized, cyclists can make friends among the locals that will pass on positive messages about cyclists to the other "good ole boys" (regardless of ethnic background). 

 

Iconic photo location on the Denny's Store rides.  This is just about the perfect angle / background for Denny's Store photos.  Too bad it was mostly overcast.  Timestamp 0852. 

 

 

And that completes this photo-journalist post / story.  

And to make use of the oft used or modified tag line:  "I reckon I'll be sticking to the story." 
    

Jul-16-2021: non-rando R-B-R

 R-B-R not re-activated, but I wanted to do the route as it is easy, yet serves as a training ride, and also is a decent way for me to measure my progress toward getting into shape or staying in shape. 

 

As noted in my Excel ride log: 

• R-B-R test ride, start Strickland-6Forks, finish Honeycutt, 
• 0452 start, 1003 finish,  5h11 elapsed 
• 67.8-miles, 4:44 in-motion, meaning an avg 14.3-mph in-motion.  

 

A few photos: 

Although I snapped this photo on the return, it makes more sense to include in the outbound flow because one needs to use this pedestrian crosswalk when turning onto NC-56 when one is about to leave Creedmoor, but inbound that relatively new "road furniture" put in place because of the changes in how the roads intersect does not come into play. 

 

Sign to advertise the 275th anniversary of Granville County hanging from one of the buildings at the main "downtown" corner in Stem.  Yes; Granville County was established in 1746 when North Carolina was still a Crown Colony.  Timestamp 0642. 

 

When R-B-R was an active perm-pop, and before COVID, this was the preferred lunch stop on the "Denny's Store Sortie" 138k perm-pop, though the cue sheet and brevet/control cards indicated that the c-store "kitty corner" from this store was the control indicated as the "open control" in Berea.  On this ride, I noticed that this store, which had better lunch options, had not survived the COVID lockdowns.  Timestamp 0730 -- 2 hours, 38 minutes after starting the ride from my sleep quarters.  

 

Shoofly.  I often stop here to take a photo, but esp. if the day is hot and humid.  Timestamp 0759 -- i.e., 29 minutes after the above Berea photo.  It usually takes me 20-25 minutes in-motion from Berea to here.  I could gander a guess as to the dynamics of stopping in Berea and riding from Berea to Shoofly, but I just don't recall if I took the Berea photo on arrival or just before leaving; therefore, I'll not hazard any comments about the ride dynamics between Berea and Shoofly,  [I wonder how many more times I could refer to Berea and/or Shoofly before completing this photo caption.] 

  

Photos published, with significant captions, will be my story to which I will be sticking for this ride. 
 

Jul-10-2021: Pseudo R-B-R

My Excel log indicates that I did the following "route": 

• to BayLeaf CVS, to PUE, then the R-B-R route, stopping at LowesFoods, and back to my HQ; 
• 0538 start, 5h23 elapsed -- stops in Berea, Creedmoor, LowesFoods 
• good for:  70.0-miles, with 4:53 in-motion, which gives 14.3-mph avg in-motion 

 

I don't know why I rode from my place to the Bay Leaf CVS. 

Was I expecting to meet someone there at 0600? 

 

I don't know why I then made note of stopping at PUE. 

Was I still looking to meet someone there just after 0600 (instead of at the CVS)? 

 

There is absolutely no hint of riding with another person on this day. 

 

Another question would be:  why didn't I do this ride on Jul-09, my birthday? 

Oh, I suddenly recall why I did this ride on Saturday instead of Friday-the-9th. 

At my part-time job at Lowes Foods, I filled in for a full-timer who was covering for another full-timer who was on vacation that week.  

 

Regardless, based on the notes in my Excel log, 

I left my abode at 0538, and would have left PUE at approx 0610 

To ride the core of the R-B-R route, arriving back at my hovel at 1101. 

Must have been a good ride. 

 

Having almost no knowledge of this ride, 

One might wonder why I bother to blog about it nearly 3 years later. 

Answer:  I have two photos I can publish: 

The timestamp on this turtle photo is 0735 -- which is 36-minutes before the timestamp of the following photo, which shows the front of the c-store in Berea.  36-minutes before Berea suggests that this turtle photo was taken on Brogden Rd just before reaching Stem.  [photo credit to me] 

I'm not sure that making this photo appear as "extra large" helps any, and might make things blurrier than they need be.  Anyway, this is the front of the Berea c-store, with the saddle of my trusty steed visible below the window.  Timestamp is 0811.  Based on previous estimates above, that would suggest that I rode the approx 28-miles from PUE to Berea in 2h01 (and that would include stops for some stop-signs and a couple stop-lights).  I'm thinking there may have been a southerly wind helping the pace to Berea; but that would then suggest a bit of a headwind coming back toward Raleigh.  A southwesterly wind makes sense for Jul-10 as around here, in the midst of summer, regardless the forecast, when the temperature climbs into the 80's and 90's, the wind invariably backs around to come from the southwest.  [photo credit to me] 

 
Not much of a story, but I will stick to it (as doing so allows me to publish those two photos (and then delete them from my laptop or other storage devices / locations)). 

  

Jul-01-2021: NRT check-out ride

There was information that the Neuse River Greenway Trail was blocked, again. 

 

The first time the NRT was blocked was due to a significant bridge being replaced. 

My friend BobB and I had to deal with that on Nov-03-2018; 

However, upon reviewing that blog post, there is not even a single word about that closure. 

 

To check out the situation on the NRT, I decided to ride from the Falls Dam to the reported closure. 

This is what I found: 

 

As I type this on March 20, 2024, there are two more blockages on the NRT. 

Stages #1 and #2 on some sewer construction project(s). 

 

There was a reasonable detour to get around the Stage #1 closure, and 

Many people, including some randonneurs used that detour for the NRT-perm-pop. 

 

However, once Stage #2 was implemented, 

There was / is no reasonable and safe detour for cyclists. 

The sewer construction project(s) is(are) not scheduled for completion until Dec-30-2024. 

As a result, at least two perm-pops and a 200-km perm have been de-activated.